Event Recap: TO THE POINT – State of the Region

Featuring Texas State Senator Royce West and Representative Giovanni Capriglione

At the North Texas Commission’s latest TO THE POINT luncheon, presented by Fidelity Investments, we gathered thinkers and trendsetters from across the region to hear a discussion on the 85th legislative session.

Texas State Senator Royce West and Representative Giovanni Capriglione joined us on Wednesday, August 21 for our State of the Region luncheon, where we discussed the 85th legislative session and beyond. Moderator Scott Orr of Fidelity Investments, our TO THE POINT luncheon was a success in creating bi-partisan conversation on issues relevant to the region as a whole.

Election Year Launches with Important Local Races

The 2016 calendar has barely settled into place, but everyone is already flipping ahead to the November Presidential election. As eyes turn north toward Iowa, we recall the old adage that politics are really at the local level.

With early voting beginning February 16, there are many state races worth watching – but more important, these races are important to the future of North Texas and Texas. (more…)

You Did It! Ex-Im Bank Reauthorized

Congratulations! Thanks to your persistent efforts over a sustained period of time, the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (Ex-Im Bank) was reauthorized on Friday, December 4. Garnering a strong bipartisan House vote of 359-65 and a Senate vote of 83-16, the “Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act” extends the Bank’s charter through September 30, 2019.

Your work has paid off. American companies once again have crucial tools to compete overseas. Your Member of Congress heard you and overwhelmingly voted to support you and your businesses. Please take a moment to thank your Member of Congress for their support. A template thank you note can be found here.

As reported by Ex-Im Bank Chairman Fred Hochberg: “All of us at EXIM are ready to receive applications for new transactions. Given the expected volume, the efforts required to get our processes back up and running, and the need to apply our comprehensive due diligence requirements to every transaction, we are asking customers and other EXIM stakeholders to be patient while we resume authorized activities. We expect online application systems and exim.gov to be fully operational no later than Tuesday, December 8, and customers can always reach us at 1-800-565-EXIM.”

Note that only two of the five seats on Ex-Im’s Board are currently filled, meaning there is not a board quorum to approve loans greater than $10 million. Each member of the Ex-Im Board is nominated by the White House for consideration by the Senate. The U.S. Chamber continues to work with the Administration and the Senate on this important matter.

Thanks again for your continued support and we look forward to working with you in 2016!

Thank you to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for providing this summary.

North Texas Celebrates 95 Years of Women’s Suffrage

It’s been 95 years since the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, granting women across the U.S. the right to vote. Since then, women have not only used that right to their fullest advantage, but have taken the opportunity to run for political office – something that would have been unheard of 100 years ago.

While Edith Wilmans (1882-1966), Dallas attorney, became the first female elected official in the state of Texas in 1922, just two years after the 19th amendment passed, Texas has seen it’s fair share of women in office since then, and today has over 100 women holding office as Mayors, Councilmembers, State and U.S. representatives and so much more.

The North Texas Commission would like to thank the many women who fought for the right to vote, and the current women holding office in North Texas or on behalf of North Texas, as listed below.

Councilmember Curtistene McCowan, City of DeSoto Councilmember Darlene Freed, City of Grapevine Councilmember Debbie Bryan, City of Keller Councilmember Debby Bobbitt, City of Rowlett Councilmember Elzie Clements, City of White Settlement Councilmember Gyna Bivens, City of Fort Worth Councilmember Heidi Wilder, City of Weatherford Councilmember Holly Gotcher, City of Greenville Councilmember Holly Gray-McPherson, City of Roanoke Councilmember Jami McCain, City of Cedar Hill Councilmember Janelle Moore, Town of Addison Councilmember Jennifer Staubach Gates, City of Dallas Councilmember Johnette Jameson, City of Duncanville Councilmember Jorja Clemson, City of Grand Prairie Councilmember Kathleen Wazny, City of Denton Councilmember Kathryn Wilemon, City of Arlington Councilmember Keely Briggs, City of Denton Councilmember Kelly Allen Gray, City of Fort Worth Councilmember Kelly Turner, City of Kennedale Councilmember Kristine Clark, City of DeSoto Councilmember Lana Wolff, City of Arlington Councilmember LaShonjia Harris, City of Lancaster Councilmember Leslie Thomas, City of Duncanville Councilmember Lila Thorn, City of Grand Prairie Councilmember Linda Eilenfeldt, City of Euless Councilmember Lisa Sutter, City of Carrollton Councilmember Lissa Smith, City of Plano Councilmember Liz Carrington, City of Kennedale Councilmember Lori Barnett Dodson, City of Garland Councilmember Mabel Simpson, City of Richardson Councilmember Margo Goodwin, Town of Highland Park Councilmember Marian Hilliard, City of Haltom City Councilmember Marta Gomez Frey, City of Richardson Councilmember Mary Carpenter, Town of Addison Councilmember Mary Lou Shipley, City of Waxahachie Councilmember Michelle Schwolert, City of Highland Village Councilmember Monica Alonzo, City of Dallas Councilmember Nancy Coplen, City of Colleyville Councilmember Nancy Welton, City of Hurst Councilmember Nancy Yingling, City of Coppell Councilmember Nina Morris, City of Lancaster Councilmember Rachel Proctor, City of DeSoto Councilmember Rainey Rogers, City of McKinney Councilmember Rita Wright Oujesky, City of North Richland Hills Councilmember Robin Sedlacek, City of Allen Councilmember Sandy Greyson, City of Dallas Councilmember Sharron Spencer, City of Grapevine Councilmember Sheri Capehart, City of Arlington Councilmember Shirley Roberts, City of Mesquite Councilmember Stephanie Davenport, City of Haltom City Councilmember Tammy Dana-Bashian, City of Rowlett Councilmember Tiffinni Young, City of Dallas Councilmember Tracy Rath, City of McKinney Councilmember Wendy Burgess, City of Mansfield

Your work as leaders continues to build the North Texas region into a force to be reckoned with, and your political accomplishments continue to inspire the many women of North Texas to aspire for higher goals. Thank you for all you do.

You Did It: High-Speed Rail Moves Forward

The power of the North Texas Commission’s membership was evident in the days leading up to budget discussions that would have killed the high-speed rail connecting North Texas and Houston. Our members mobilized and quickly reached out to Sen. Jane Nelson and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and the language that would have barred the Texas Department of Transportation from spending any state funds toward “subsidizing or assisting in the construction of high-speed passenger rail.” Texas Central Rail has said on numerous occasions that this $12 billion project will be entirely privately funded.

The project is still underway with an anticipated launch date in 2021. Thank you to all of you who showed your support by reaching out to our state’s leaders. And, thank you Sen. Nelson and Lt. Gov. Patrick for your leadership on this very important matter.

For information on the actions NTC members are supporters took to help make this possible, please read a previously posted blogHERE.

Bringing High-speed Rail to Texas: We need your help!

Texas is slated to get a high-speed rail connecting North Texas to Houston. This private commuter rail line would be the first of its kind in the United States and would further cement Texas as a national leader. However some Texas Senators seek to halt progress by adding a rider to the state budget that would prohibit this railway.

It’s time to act, and the North Texas Commission urges you as a regional representative of your company or organization to

TAKE ACTION NOW

Join the Texas Central Railway’s letter campaign to voice your support for the future of transportation.

let your voice be heard. help keep high-speed rail in texas.

Early Voting Starts Today!

The first Presidential candidates for 2016 are throwing their hats into the ring but did you realize that you have a voting opportunity this week? Early voting for local elections starts today, and we encourage you to vote. Municipal and County elections typically have low voter turnout, but these elections are some of the best ways you can have a direct impact on your community and the region.

If you are an employer or manager, we encourage you to give you employees a little extra time during the voting week to make sure they can cast their ballots.

For voters, there are lots of ways to vote, but there are some items you should know beforehand. Don’t let confusion regarding locations, Voter ID or registration get you down. Here are some tools to help make sure you are ready to vote.

When can I vote?: Early voting starts on April 27th and goes until May 5th. Election Day is May 9th and is your last chance to cast your vote. May 9th is a Saturday so make sure you plan ahead. Check your local election board to see what time polling stations are open.

What am I voting for? That depends on your county and city. Your local county election page should give you a list of candidates and issues. Take the time to research important races and cast your vote.

2014 Election Results

Rain or shine, Texans came out to vote and Republicans not only made a clean sweep of the statewide offices but spun the state Senate to a supermajority in the chamber. As for the House chamber, Republicans gained two unexpected seats in Bexar and Harris counties where the Republicans unseated incumbent Democrats. With the open seat in HD-23, this gave the Republicans three seats giving them a control of 98 seats in the House. A two vote away from a supermajority in that chamber.

Governor’s Race:

2015 brings new leadership in the executive office of the Lone Star state. After Governor Perry’s long tenure as the chief executive, he announced in July 2013 he would not seek re-election. This opened the doors for candidates to run especially since the last time there was an open race for governor was in 1990. Texas has not elected a Democrat to a statewide office since 1994 and last night was no different. General Abbott won the election receiving 59% of the vote while Senator Davis received 39%.

Early voting turnout was not what was expected especially for the Democrats. Democratic statewide candidates had hoped to expand the electorate in their struggle to break a 20-year losing streak. This was also an indicator of whether Battleground Texas and other Democratic organizing groups are making progress in the red state. However, win or lose Democrats concerned themselves on whether Davis could win with more than 42% of the vote. Mayor Bill White lost to Perry four years ago with 42% of the vote. It had been the best showing of a Democrat since Ann Richards drew 46% in her losing re-election bid against George W. Bush in 1994. By surpassing the 42% of the vote, Democrats know they are on the right track. This is a long-term game for the Democrats…the eye on the prize is the presidential race in 2016.

Lt. Governor’s Race:

It is no surprise Senator Patrick won the Lt. Governor’s race with 58.2% of the vote. Although Van de Putte is known as a great campaigner, she didn’t seem to have come across in this election.

Attorney General:

Another race we were not surprised, Ken Paxton winning the race with 58.8% of the vote.

Comptroller:

Glenn Hegar wins with 58.4% of the vote setting up a vacancy when he resigns the remainder of his 4 year term to be sworn in as Comptroller. This means there will be eight new freshman Senators and the Senate has lost six current committee chairmen.

Land Commissioner:

With 60.7% of the vote, George P. Bush, had an easy win.

Railroad Commissioner:

We are expecting good things for the newly elected Ryan Sitton as Railroad Commissioner. Sitton won with 58.3% of the votes.

Agricultural Commissioner:

Sid Miller secured his seat with 58.6% of the votes.

Supreme Court:

All of the incumbents kept their seat on the Texas Supreme Court:

Nathan L. Hecht – 59.6%

Jeff Brown – 60.3%

Jeffrey S. Boyd – 58.9%

Phil Johnson – 78.8%

State Legislature Races:

Many incumbents returned to the state capitol, but many are new faces. A third of the Texas Senate is new, which is unprecedented in this generation. And all new members are much more conservative than those that they replace. With Dan Patrick in the Chair leading this more conservative body, this will make for an interesting shift in the politics of the session. Patrick has already stated his priorities as border security, education and pro-life issues.

About 60 members of the House are either freshman or sophomore members. While the House also had significant turnover, and certainly gained many new conservative faces, it will still be a more moderate body with Speaker Straus and his leadership team still in place.

This election cycle had some rather competitive races in both incumbent seats and open seat races. Many focused on the following races which were considered “hot races:”

SD-10: Currently held by Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth), is estimated to be 56% Republican. Candidates for that open seat were Konni Burton (R), Libby Willis (D), a Libertarian candidate and a Green Party candidate. Super Trial Lawyer Steve Mostyn contributed over $500,000 to Libby Willis. The outcome of this race had a significant impact on liability issues. This was a very volatile race but Burton pulled through with 52.8 % of the vote.

HD-23:Currently held by Craig Eiland (D-Galveston), is estimated to be about 54% Republican. Candidates for this open seat were Wayne Faircloth (R), and Susan Criss (D). Faircloth is a State Farm agent, and almost beat Eiland in 2012. Susan Criss has been a district judge in Galveston for a number of years, and her court handled TWIA cases. She is closely aligned with the plaintiff bar and received at least $200,000 from Amber and Steve Mostyn. The outcome of this race had significant impact on liability issues. This race was a toss-up but Wayne Faircloth won with 54.6% of the vote. .

HD-43:Currently held by JM Lozano (R-Kingsville). Lozano switched parties in 2012, and has been a target of the Democrats ever since. This district is also a swing district. The challenger, Kimberly Gonzalez (D-Portland) is an assistant district attorney and an attractive candidate. She raised a respectable amount of money, but JM has substantially out-raised her. Neither had a primary opponent. Lozano won with an overwhelmingly 61.4% of the vote.

HD-107: Currently held by Kenneth Sheets (R). This district is lean Republican, and is currently the lowest percentage R district held by an R. (There are only 2 other Republican-majority districts in Texas with a lower R percentage, and both are currently held by Democrats.) Sheets’ opponent, Carol Donovan (D), is an attorney and mediator. This race was considered a priority for the Democrats early on, but Sheets had a great deal of support and ran an excellent race. He won with 55.0% of the vote.

HD-117: Currently held by Philip Cortez (D-San Antonio). Representative Cortez is well-known in the district, and previously served on the city council. His Republican opponent, Rick Galindo, received a great deal of financial help and has outraised the incumbent. This district is at 52% Republican, but with Senator Van de Putte (D-San Antonio) on the ballot for Lt. Governor, San Antonio D turnout was not strong enough to keep Cortez in office. Galindo unseated the incumbent with 52.7% of the vote.

The following races were considered as races to watch.

HD-94: Currently held by Diane Patrick (R-Arlington). Representative Patrick was defeated in the primary by Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington). Tinderholt faced Cole Ballweg (D-Arlington) in the general. Tinderholt is closely aligned with Open Carry Tarrant County (OCTC), the group that supports carrying weapons in public, and there have been a number of news reports about OCTC group members carrying assault rifles in public, with Tinderholt participating. Ballweg owns a healthcare business and appeared to be very moderate. This is a strong Republican district (64.1%), so Tinderholt definitely had the edge. Tinderholt won with 56.6% of the vote.

HD-105: Currently held by Linda Harper-Brown. She was defeated in the primary by former Rep. Rodney Anderson (R-Grand Prairie). Anderson faced attorney Susan Motley (D-Irving) in the general election. Both raised a lot of money. This district is about 56% Republican, and Anderson won with 55.4% of the vote.

HD-115: Currently held by Bennett Ratliff. Ratliff lost the primary by a half point in an extremely close race, and many agree his loss was more a side effect of the Carona-Huffines senate race than it was of the HD 115 race. The Republican, Matt Rinaldi (R-Irving) is an attorney who represents Dallas multi-millionaire, Monty Bennett, who is a major contributor to Michael Quinn Sullivan. This district is 60% Republican which gave Rinaldi more than enough to beat the Democratic nominee with 57.1% of the vote.

HD-149:Hubert Vo (D-Houston) faced a challenge from Republican Al Hoang (R-Houston), a former city council member and pillar of the Asian community. Vo pulled through with 54.9% of the vote.